Ex-pit workers, members of the public and unions are to show their support for striking workers at the National Coal Mining Museum at a major rally being staged in Wakefield at the weekend.
They will gather at the city’s cathedral on Saturday (6 December) in a show of solidarity for staff who have been on a continuous walkout since mid-August as they campaign for a fair pay rise.
During that time, museum managers have made just one new pay offer* in an attempt to resolve the dispute – and for many striking workers, the terms of that deal were worse than one they’d previously rejected.
A number of speakers will address the demonstration, including striking worker Eric Richardson, a former miner who took part in the national miners’ strike four decades ago.
Other confirmed speakers include the leader of Wakefield Council Denise Jeffery, Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth Jon Trickett (pictured above, with workers on the picket line) and the North East, Yorkshire & the Humber regional secretary for the TUC Dave Pike.
UNISON says the event will further demonstrate how the leadership of the National Coal Mining Museum has lost the confidence of staff. That can only be restored by resolving the dispute as a matter of urgency.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “This strike is about fair pay for workers at the museum. But it’s also about protecting the history of coal mining, which is a central part of this country’s heritage and particularly in West Yorkshire.
“Since day one of the walkout, staff have been treated with contempt by senior managers.
“The chief executive, Lynn Dunning, and the board of trustees are responsible for a national museum dedicated to coal mining. Treating former miners with such disrespect is the total opposite of what the museum is all about.
“This dispute has gone on for too long, and it needs to be sorted. This demonstration will further highlight to senior figures responsible for this mess that their behaviour has been completely unacceptable.”
Notes:
– The demonstration has been organised by UNISON Wakefield. It will be held outside Wakefield Cathedral on Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 1HG from noon on Saturday 6 December.
– The strike began on 20 August and has been extended three times. It is now scheduled to run until the end of January 2026 unless there is a resolution.
– *The most recent pay offer from the museum included a £1 an hour rise for ‘craftspeople’ (which the museum defines as fitters and electricians) and 5% for other staff. For many of the workers, this would work out lower than the 80p an hour increase previously suggested.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
